


Checkmate

by Slaine



Category: Aldnoah.Zero (Anime)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Romance, Slaine is not dead, for the az fanbook, mentions of Lemrina and Harklight, post ending fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-08
Updated: 2015-08-08
Packaged: 2018-04-13 15:39:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,014
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4527744
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Slaine/pseuds/Slaine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Don't try to change the subject with flattery. You were miles away, what were you thinking about?”</p>
<p>“I was wondering which of us won, in the end.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Checkmate

His presence is only a formality. Regardless of how tied to the operation he’d been, in this scenario Inaho’s opinion is irrelevant. Nonetheless, they ask him the perfunctory question.

“Is it him?”

He looks at the charred remains. Nothing can be gauged due to the complete and utter extent of the damage, except that the body has the right height and physique.

And of course it does, Inaho had personally made sure of it.

“Seems like it is,” he replies, with no emotion whatsoever. “Naturally, if DNA isn’t available, the important thing are the dental records. What do they tell us?”

“It’s a perfect match.”

Inaho nods, not surprised in the least. After all, he’d also personally altered the records so they’d match.

Amid the ruins of what had once been a house secreting a one man prison underneath, a general sense of relief and accomplishment settles.

The same feeling is shared by the highest echelons of the UFE and, secretly, some martians.

Finally, the lie has become truth; former Count Slaine Saazbaum Troyard is no more.

Inaho feels the same, but for completely different reasons.

*

On the boat ferrying him to his new private residence, on his private island -a luxury naturally rewarded to the Earth’s obscure savior- Inaho wonders who won.

But when the boat arrives, a good looking dark haired girl is there to greet him, despite its dangers, and Inaho’s mind and heart become occupied.

*

Later, much later, when the sun has gone down so long ago in a few hours it’ll begin rising again, Inaho finds himself unable to sleep.

It could be the adrenaline from everything that occurred in the last forty eight hours, or it could be the dull pain in his eye; it throbs and hasn't stopped.

And it might never stop again, not without constant medication.

Putting on his analytical machine one last time to hack into the UFE’s database and alter Slaine’s medical records as well as search morgue’s for a suitable fresh corpse had been too much. But he'd known the risk and even now can’t find it in himself to regret it at all. It feels worth it, especially now, when he’s in bed, tangled in-

As if sensing his thoughts, Slaine stirs behind him, unsticking himself from Inaho’s back.

Inaho turns around to find Slaine propping himself up to peer at him. A hand goes up and caresses the side of Inaho’s face, just next to his sightless eye.

“I saw your hand hovering over it, does it still hurt?” Slaine asks softly.

“You should be asleep,” Inaho replies, trying to deflect the question, and entwines a hand in Slaine’s golden hair. Now that they’re inside the house, Slaine can afford to be without his wig. The dress used in his female disguise is strewn somewhere on the floor.

“So should you. It’s the pain isn’t it? You need to rest, you’ve done too much-”

“Hardly so. Harklight and Lemrina did most of it. Have you managed to make contact with them?”

In the dim moonlight, Inaho sees Slaine nod. “Lemrina came by under an aldnoah guise. She and Harklight will stay away, undercover, a while since the UFE will still be searching for the perpetrator.”

“UFE’s main issue is with the mole.” Because for a martian to even have known Slaine was alive and where he’d been kept, someone on the inside needed to have talked. “But as we agreed upon, I planted evidence that the mole was one of the guards.” An easy feat given Lemrina could look like anyone. “Considering he was killed during the alleged rescue attempt, they’ll be satisfied soon.” The guard had been a particularly nasty one, his death didn’t weight in anyone's consciousness.

Slaine hums, caressing Inaho’s hair. “I think so long as Harklight and Lemrina ditch the kataphrakt they used and don’t join us here too soon, no suspicion will befall them since according to Lemrina, Harklight’s face wasn’t seen.”

“Yes. And given UFE is under the impression the rescue attempt failed, after we allow them to find the kataphrakt seemingly destroyed they’ll quickly become lax and soon cease any searches at all.”

“Good. I think Lemrina will like it here, I’m planting her favorite flowers and-”

Inaho enjoys the lightheartedness of Slaine’s tone, but finds his mind drifting, wondering again, who-

A hand pokes his shoulder insistently and he focus again.

“I can tell the difference between your silences,” Slaine says, voice with a tinge of annoyance.

“Even in the dark? Really, you always manage to surprise me.”

“Don't try to change the subject with flattery. You were miles away, what were you thinking about?”

“I was wondering which of us won, in the end.”

“Oh? Who do you think?”

“I believe it must have been me.”

Slaine chuckles. “Why?”

“You love me back and now I have you to myself. You, on the other hand, are still restricted. You can't risk leaving this place for long and even in this remote island you must wear a disguise when going outside. Your name is still tarnished, people believe you are dead and you are, in a way, still imprisoned. Clearly, the win was mine.”

There is a moment of silence as Slaine just stares at him, but then he laughs softly and pinches Inaho’s cheek. “Silly Orange,” he says affectionately. “Obviously I won. I got you to return my feelings, got rescued from the UFE’s clutches and will now spend the rest of my life with you, in comfort. Yes I’m not wholly free, but considering my crimes, that was inevitable, and the punishment is too light. I won, and if you weren't so stubborn about losing, you’d see that.”

“ _I’m_ the stubborn one? You-”

Protest is interrupted by a mouth over his.

“...You have very good arguments,” Inaho concedes, breathlessly, some minutes later.

“I think I still need practice.”

“Certainly, and I’ll help you practice as much as you want. But as for who won...perhaps we can both yield and acknowledge this is a draw?”

“...Yes, I suppose it is.”

**Author's Note:**

> -This will be my second entry for the az fanbook. It’s unbetaed and for reasons I explain below, I haven't had the mind to make a thorough check on it.
> 
> -It’s one way I thought on how Slaine could escape prison, with help. If it wasn't clear: basically Inaho Lemrina dn Harklight teamed up. They altered the dental records for Slaine, found a dead body similar to him and then attacked his prison, burning it to the ground. They make it look like Slaine got killed by accident, body completely charred so only dental records remain, then make it seem like this is the fault of a guard also killed. meanwhile Slaine escapes and goes to live with Inaho in his private island.
> 
> -I felt only death would make it so UFE wouldn't search for Slaine, and then only in a death like this would he manage to make it
> 
> -For those that read In Carcere, the plan used here was basically what Inaho had thought of but never voiced. Which doesn't mean it will or won't be used there…
> 
> -Speaking of that fic: it will not be posted this week. [See here](http://fabelyn.tumblr.com/post/126180536836/no-in-carcere-this-week-at-all) for an indepth explanation. I apologize. This fic had been written for a while, so I posted it in the other fic’s stead


End file.
